Two students in the Aubrey Independent School District, whose parents are Air Force veterans, could face discipline for wearing Air Force sweatshirts to school that administrators say violate school dress code policy.
On Wednesday, 11-year old twins Kaidence and Abigail Rolen wore hooded sweatshirts that display over-sized U.S. Air Force logos on them to Aubrey Middle School.
According to the school district, the size of the logos violated the dress code.
"Students are allowed to wear solid color 'hoodies' that have logos (including military logos) that are smaller than 1 1/2-inch by 1 1/2-inch. Students are welcome to wear outerwear that may have larger logos to and from school, on the bus, to games and after-school activities, but they must be left in lockers during the school day," said Aubrey ISD Superintendent Debby Sanders in a statement to NBC 5.
The twins' father, Phillip Rolen, is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Iraq.
"I'm from a very patriotic family," said Phillip Rolen. "My wife and I met in the Air Force. The girls were born on an Air Force base."
When the father learned about the school's request to put the jackets away, he wasn't pleased.
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"I have a little bit of a rebellious streak in me, so when I spoke to the principal I told her they're going to be wearing them still," he said. "I'm hoping the district will use common sense, but we're not going to back down from this."
Phillip Rolen said his twin daughters will continue to wear their sweatshirts even it means disciplinary action or finding a different school to attend.
"I'm just not going to raise my kids where they're going to tip-toe around their patriotism and their civics," he said. "We don't disagree with dress codes. It's a matter of civics and it's a matter of patriotism."
In the superintendent's statement to NBC 5, she also wrote, "Aubrey ISD wholeheartedly supports the men and women who currently serve and have served our nation in military service. Aubrey ISD has a student dress code to follow, just as our military personnel are expected to wear uniforms. The dress code, which has been in place for over a decade, instills pride, discipline and levels the playing field for students to allow them to focus on learning."
